Nursing home residents used 6 strategies to manage urinary incontinence

QUESTION: How do residents of nursing homes experience living with urinary incontinence (UI)?

Design

Grounded theory.

Setting

3 nursing homes in the metropolitan area of a large, US city.

Participants

Primary participants were 6 women and 4 men (age range 69–93 y, 80% white) who were cognitively intact, spoke English, and
acknowledged actual or potential UI related to symptoms of frequency or urgency. Most required moderate to extensive assistance
with toileting, had urine leakage, and wore some type of absorbent product. 33 secondary participants (82% women) also showed
evidence of actual or potential UI and were encountered during recruitment excursions, formal interviews, or follow up visits
to primary participants.

Methods

Primary participants provided an indepth interview, subsequent opportunities to observe and discuss their methods of bladder
control, and access to their healthcare records. Secondary participants were observed and interviewed informally as bladder
control issues arose. Theoretical saturation occurred after 30 encounters with primary …